Grand Rapids Battalion Chief Dan Stoddard said when emergency personnel received the initial call, they thought there were people inside but it turned out only two dogs were inside the residence.

“Because there was one car in the driveway, neighbors thought there were people inside, but only two dogs were in house and they died,” he said.

He said firefighters arrived at the scene the house was engulfed in flames and crews conducted an aggressive search for residents. One firefighter suffered a second-degree burn while searching the house. Stoddard said there is a gap between the mask and the hood firefighters wear and that’s where the burn was suffered.

Initial investigation showed the fire might have started in the fireplace, Stoddard said.

Owners Robert and Maria Rosales said the biggest loss is definitely their pets, a 3-year-old pitbull and a 2-year-old dachshund.

“We had them since they were babies,” said Maria.

The couple's two children, who are 5 and 7 years old, are coping with the idea that they have lost absolutely everything.

“Thankfully we have family that are going to help us in the next few days,” said Robert.